Long read, beware....

After a lot of consideration, I've decided I just can't keep my boxer. Some of you may remember my thread when she first started showing aggression towards one of my other dogs, my husky. Much as I have tried and tried, things don't get better. My boyfriend and I have even attempted to keep them separated at all times in this house. It's a terrible situation.

Miranda the boxer came to us after she was severly mistreated and abandoned by her previous owners. She was very skinny with all ribs and shoulder bones showing. By my count, I think she has passed through at least four different people's hands before coming to us. I believe she was 8 or so months old, so I thought her still being a puppy would work to my advantage and I could change what had happened to her mind. I'm almost positive she was beaten, so this made any attempt at discipline (like a spank on the butt), even verbal discipline, ineffective, and just seemed to fuel her behavior. She is intensely insecure -- I've never seen anything like it. She reminds me of an overly self-conscious person. She becomes very jealous when I give any attention to my other dogs, and I think ultimately this is what started the fighting.

She has a huge problem with my husky, Roxie for some reason. Miranda will pick fights that look vicious and are almost impossible to break up -- there were times I was scared to death for my husky... But the aftermath of the fight always is that it's the boxer, and not the husky, that becomes the victim of the fight. Miranda has scars all over her face now. Apparently for all her zest in initiating the fights, she's not skilled at them. I tried to give her more attention, but this just seems to fuel her jealousy. I tried my best to remain calm separating the fights, thinking that maybe my panic was making things worse, but there was no change in her behavior. Most recently, separating them at all times seemed to be working, her face and ears were starting to heal, but she seems to always find a way...

Yesterday my husky came inside after getting loose. She usually won't just come back inside on her own, so I was praising her, and the other dogs were in the same room because I hadn't had a chance to separate them yet. I had just said "Good girl" to my husky, and that was it, the boxer attacked. Once she starts there is just no stopping. We had to shove a baby gate between the two of them to break things up. She has a cut in her ear, and her face which was finally starting to heal is now once again all cut up. And I just can't take this anymore. I've had it.

The sad thing is even though she has this huge aggression towards my dog, she's not all bad on her own. She's very sweet and loving, she's terrific with children. But she never should have come into a home with other dogs. And she can't now go into another home where there is any competition in that way. I can't even describe the guilt I feel. I feel like despite all my efforts, I've only made things worse. I just wanted to give her a good home. And now all I see is her face all scarred up, and her very insecure demeanor. I honestly feel like a terrible person. I don't understand how people can do this to their animals. I can't imagine this cute girl as a puppy and having someone beating on her and destroying her personality. It's not fair.

I'm going to put an ad in a local classifieds that states that she must be the only dog. I hope, god do I hope, that someone responds, and I hope I can be thorough enough in my screening to find someone that's may possibly give her the home she deserves. This is a picture of Miranda before all the fighting began and she got all the cuts on her face.



If you read this far, thank you... I just had to get all these feelings off my chest.